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Visit the Kootenays

Discover the Endless Adventures

the Kootenay region of BC

map of the Kootenay region of BC

Southeast British Columbia has endless attractions to experience

Things to see

Things and places for your eyes.

Places to eat

Eat here. get full.

places to stay

for when you need to rest.

places to drink

Quench your thirst.

things to tour

No shortage of things to do.

Do your homework

Travel Resources

Visitors’ Centres 

Yes, the venerable Visitor Centre is still around! And useful. I know these days you normally just grab your phone and start Googling away. And that can be pretty informative, specially if you’re using the online portal for that Visitors’ Centre. But you know what? The physical location is awfully handy. Parking, bathrooms, WiFi and an actual human you can ask questions to and stave a ton of time with online dead-ends. So here’s a map of where all the actual Centres are, and below are all the links to the various online resources. Happy planning!

Tourism Resources 

Nelson, Balfour, Crawford Bay

Cranbrook and Radium

Cranbrook Tourism

Discover Nelson

Tourism Revelstoke

Grand Forks Tourism

Nakusp BC

Kimberly BC

Fernie, BC

Creston, BC

Castlegar, BC

Rossland, BC

Kaslo, BC

Invermere, BC

Radium, BC

In the Heart of the West kootenays

The International Selkirk Loop – BC/WA/ID

Bonus Linkage

Nelson BC is a destination hub for cruiser ADV and dual sport motorcycle adventures to ride paved and gravel routes.

Nelson

Welcome to Nelson! There is so much amazing riding here to be had, both on and off-road. Here’s a selection of things you can ride, destinations to visit, and places to eat/drink/shop. Everything is rideable in either direction, and with

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Map of Trail Motorcycle Routes

Trail

Welcome to Trail! There is so much amazing riding here to be had, both on and off-road. Here’s a selection of things you can ride, destinations to visit, and places to eat/drink/shop. Everything is rideable in either direction, and with

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Map of Invermere Motorcycle Routes

Invermere

Welcome to Invermere! There is so much amazing riding here to be had, both on and off-road. Here’s a selection of things you can ride, destinations to visit, and places to eat/drink/shop. Everything is rideable in either direction, and with

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Yahk to Kikomun Rd

So you say you need a route to connect between Yack and Jaffery? Well, here it is! If you’re going between Creston and Fernie, or up into the Bull River, this is the way! The is a sneaky back way

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map of trout lake motorcycle route

Trout Lake Loop

Discover the Kootenays on a breathtakingly picturesque circle motorcycle tour through the heart of the Selkirks, a 390-kilometre loop that starts and ends in Nelson, B.C., with stops in New Denver, Nakusp and Kaslo. Get the .gpx or .kml file

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Canadian Border Patrol

Welcome to the Canadian Border Patrol! Almost 800km stretching from the Nighthawk Border crossing to the Roosville Crossing, travelling on as much dirt and backroads as possible. Rideable in either direction, and many points to hop on or off depending

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MissVelocity Harley Davidson Horsethief Hideout campgroud

Horsethief Hideout

Just outside Invermere, tucked in under a cliff of hoodoos hides Horsethief Hideout. It’s a fully proper moto-camping experience and a great place to pitch a tent and use as a basecamp.  Horsethief Hideout has been a privately owned ranch

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Wanduro

Wanduro is a motorcycle navigational rally based in the East Kootenays. Teams of 2-4 scour 8000 square kilometers for over 100 hidden waypoints! When:August 12-15 2021. Where:Based out of Canal Flats, 8000 square kms. Who:Anyone with a street legal dual-sport

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Toad Rock

There may be no other place quite like Toad Rock. It holds a special place in the heart of any Rider who has laid their head there… Toad Rock is located in the small B.C. town of Balfour and in the middle

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Darkwoods

What is Darkwoods? Well, its 63,000 Hectares of Conservation land just outside of Nelson. It’s a MASSIVE hunk of preserved wilderness, but lucky for us, there’s still some roads that go through it. It’s also known for the tiny community

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West Kootenays

So much amazingness in the West Kootenays to explore! Smooth, twisty roads and stellar backcounty. It’s all here to download in one PACK. Get the .gpx or .kml file via Gaia Gaia Tutorial on using files So, here’s how the

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map of Castlegar - Christina Lake motorcycle route

Castlegar-Christina Lake Route

Do you like beautiful Lake views? Do you like groomed railbed gravel? Do you like getting around a mountain pass on the pavement? Do you like old railway trestles? But….are you afraid of the dark? Bulldog tunnel is almost a

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Riders Ranch

Tucked in off the highway just East of Kitchener BC. The Kootenays region of British Columbia incorporates the Crowsnest Highway (Highway 3), which winds its way through the Monashee Mountains and Selkirk Mountains between Grand Forks and Creston, Slocan Valley

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map of the motorcycle and atv trail to Lavina Lookout

Lavina Lookout

With one of the most spectacular 360degree views anywhere, put this one on the list. Download the .gpx file Get the .gpx or .kml file Surface: 100% Gravel Distance: 12km  Access: Turn right on Argenta Road toward Argenta and Johnson?s

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Adventure Routes Canada – ARC

The Adventure Routes Canada (ARC) Initiative! Adventure Routes Canada (ARC), or Route Aventure Canada (RAC) in French, is an exciting new initiative by the Motorcyclists Confederation of Canada (MCC) that aims to map, enhance, and connect adventure riding routes across

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Pend-d'oreille motorcycle route map

Pend-d’Oreille River route

The Pend Oreille River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately 130 miles long, in northern Idaho and northeastern Washington in the United States, as well as southeastern British Columbia in Canada. In its passage through British Columbia its

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map of Farnham Glacier Motorcycle route

Farnham Glacier

Just West of Radium is the hidden gem that is the Farnham Glacier. Easily accessed most of the way by FSR, the last little bit gets a little spicy! There is a creek crossing that although isn’t extreme, it’s not

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To get motorcycle riders to stay camp at Riders Retreat in Nakusp BC

Riders Retreat

Located in Beautiful Nakusp, British Columbia, Riders Retreat is the only all-inclusive Motorcycle Campground in the world. It was built exclusively with motorcyclists in mind. It is certainly the most unique accommodations that Nakusp has to offer. Upon arrival at

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Kimberly BC is a destination hub for cruiser ADV and dual sport motorcycle adventures to ride paved and gravel routes.

Cranbrook

Welcome to Cranbrook! There is so much amazing riding here to be had, both on and off-road. Here’s a selection of things you can ride, destinations to visit, and places to eat/drink/shop. Everything is rideable in either direction, and with

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map of kootenay pass motorcycle route

Kootenay Pass Loop Route

Ok folks, this one is a classic! A paved, smooth, flowy cruise, it takes the rider through some spectacular scenery. Along the North Shore of Kootenay lake, across the longest free ferry in the world, through the twisties on the

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a map of the Grey Creek Pass motorcycle route

Gray Creek Pass

The climb to Gray Creek Pass is 5,000 ft of elevation gain in 16.5 km making it the highest dirt pass in Canada! The 6,850 foot high Gray Creek Pass runs between Kootenay Lake on the west and Kimberly to

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5/5
Wait, what? We did that and didn't die? I guess that's a win!
Craig Luke
5/5
You're damn right we didn't die! Takes a lot more than that!
Vera Horsman